“Let’s make more babies” quoted Prayuth

Writer: Ami Laoroekutai

Editor: Aminta Permpoonwiwat

Graphic Designer: Liya

Carefully consider countless unsolved problems due to government mismanagement. It has affected many aspects of society, including people’s mindset on having children. Research has found that Thailand has had the lowest record birth rates in the last 50 years. Thus, it can be concluded that Millennials and Gen-Zs prefer living childfree. Factors including financial problems, inadequate education, environmental impact, and mental illnesses, significantly interfere with the public perception of having children.

Is it financially feasible?

“Stay childfree and become financially free.” The older a person is, the more responsibilities and expenses they have with a fixed salary of 15,000 baht. This has been unchanged during the last decades. Unfortunately, the majority of Thai citizens are under this financial restriction. Although it may vary depending on parents’ lifestyles, raising a child properly can cost up to 75,000 baht per month. Therefore, people would mostly prefer to save their money for retirement.

Thailand’s Inadequate Education 

While privileged children may attend private schools, rural parents (48.57% of the Thai population) cannot afford that.  The majority of Thai students face problems related to inadequate education, such as large classroom sizes, unqualified teachers, and an impractical system. Moreover, the Thai education system usually requires students to memorize theory rather than apply practical knowledge. This crisis has been proven with research that shows that in ASEAN, Thais are less likely to complete school because they have low English proficiency and only 2% of students pass the evaluation of logical thinking skills. 

The Environmental Impact it causes

Despite rapid industrial growth, Thailand is facing enormous environmental issues. Many harmful chemicals are dumped in the water, causing a strong decline in water quality. Moreover, Thailand has recorded a decrease in precipitation, having a huge impact on agriculture.

Besides, more than 20% of forests have been cut down during the last decade in order to expand urban areas. In those areas, air pollution is extreme, not only because of the factories, but also emissions from vehicles. Do you really want your child to encounter the same issues as we do nowadays? These circumstances will most likely worsen in the future, deterring many adults from having children.

Mental health Impacts

During the COVID-19, mental illnesses have grown prominent among the population. However, children’s mental health is mostly overlooked.

Whether it be privileged or underprivileged children, they are all susceptible to experience different mental health problems. On one hand, those from underprivileged backgrounds may not have access to information on how to manage their own feelings, leading to further complications. On the other hand, children who are financially stable may struggle with high expectations from parents that they need to be impeccable and achieve the highest grades.  This creates a negative attitude and fixed mindset for the children. Therefore, parents must be reminded that mental health is very essential for their children.

These are just my point of view. It is your choice whether you want a child or not.